A dozen years ago, in a private room at Tianfu Restaurant in Profound Candle Prefecture, two children and a middle-aged man ordered a huge table of food.
"I rarely show mercy and invite you two to eat something good, so why do you brothers both look like your mother just died, as if you're eating offerings? And, Yueyang, what are you doing taking out a lunchbox?"
The younger child said, "It's delicious. I'm taking some back for my little sister. She's growing teeth now and can eat meat."
The older child said, "Teacher, our mother really did die."
The man asked in surprise, "Huh? Then where did your little sister come from?"
"Our aunt gave birth to her. Our aunt was beaten to death two months ago."
The man said, "Oh... But what's that got to do with me? I spent a fortune treating you to a meal, and it's bad enough that you don't say a single nice thing to me. You won't even give me a pleasant look. Do you think I'll ever invite you to eat again? You brats, Yueyang, remember this: if you bring out your tears and blood once, people will find it novel. If you make them eat it twice, three times, four times, then don't blame them for growing disgusted with you. If you want other people to welcome you, help you, and like you in the future, you can't make them feel that you're 'miserable.'"
The man said, "Only rich people can borrow money, because everyone knows they can pay it back. Only people who aren't starved for love receive love, because everyone knows they understand how to love. Only people who aren't miserable can live happily, because everyone is willing to add flowers to brocade."
The man drank a cup of